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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. perch — the fish
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hand — in cards
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ball — a dance
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. hand — help
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. deal — to handle

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com